Thursday, July 30, 2015

My Favorite Burger

As my kids get older, I've noticed that our summers have changed.
Where there were once lazy afternoons spent running through sprinklers, these
days seem jam-packed, and are gone in a flash. Summer camp, play-dates, family
vacations, outings to a farm (or the local dairy, or berry picking... you get
the idea). Our days completely fill up, and leave little time and energy for
complex meals at night.

This is why I love firing up the grill! It's easy-peasy to set
aside a piece of protein to marinate, and add a vegetable on the side,
especially now that local produce is at it's finest. Bonus: my husband likes to
tie on an apron and work the fire, so I can sit back and enjoy a cocktail while
he cooks up the main dish!

This burger recipe is in our regular dinner rotation during the
summer months. I know some cooks really enjoy mixing different types of ground
meats, adding a fancy accouterments or two to make the perfect burger, but I'm
old-school for this kind of dinner; 100% ground beef is the way I roll. Add in
a few herbs & spices, an egg, and some Worcestershire Sauce, and you have a
grilled burger that is perfection in its simplicity.

Top it with lettuce, tomato, pickles, & onions for a classic
take, or, with a few slices of avocado, heirloom tomato, purple onion, and
cheese. However you eat it, this is the burger recipe to grill this summer!

Grilled Hamburgers

Makes 8-10 patties

2.5 pounds 85% fat ground beef

1 egg

1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons dried parsley

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

In a large mixing bowl, combine the spices, salt, and
Worcestershire Sauce. Add the egg and lightly beat.

Next, add the ground beef, and mix thoroughly by hand (I like to
wear medical gloves for this!).

Using a kitchen scale, measure out about 1/3 of a pound of the
ground beef mixture and form into a loose ball (roughly a handful). Flatten
into the desired size for your hamburger buns and make a small indent with your
thumb, directly in the middle. This helps the burger maintain its shape during
cooking. Place the burgers on a large plate, or a wax paper-lined cutting
board.

Repeat this process until you have 8-10 patties.

Grill to your desired temperature (I like a nice medium-rare),
and top with your favorite burger fixings!

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About Me

Hi!
My name is Jessie and I am an avid cook, recipe hoarder, and child wrangler. I love to find new and creative recipes to try as well as to introduce my arsenal of tried & true dishes to my family and friends. From small plates to big holiday dinners, you'll find a little bit of everything here!